makes
12
prep
20 minutes
cook
20 minutes
difficulty
Mid
makes
12
serves
preparation
20
minutes
cooking
20
minutes
difficulty
Mid
level
Ingredients
- 460 ml water, at room temperature
- 28 g dry yeast
- 50 ml olive oil
- 45 ml milk
- 620 g baker's flour
- 100 g semolina flour
- 20 g salt
- extra flour, for dusting
Resting time 2 hours 20 minutes
Instructions
Use a fork to dissolve the yeast in water, then add the olive oil and milk.
Combine both the flours in the bowl of a kitchen mixer with a hook attachment. Start the machine running on medium and slowly pour in the liquid. Mix it for about 3 minutes or until the dough starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
Let the mix sit for 20 minutes, add the salt and then mix for a further 5 minutes or so. At this stage, the glutens in your dough should be worked enough. To check this, do the windowpane test - break off a little of the dough and gently pull it between your fingers; you should be able to stretch it so you get a nice translucent section, like a windowpane, before the dough breaks. (You can add the tester bit back to the main dough.)
Take the dough out, place it into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and let it proof in a warm spot for 1½ hours. Within this time, you will need to knock back the dough a couple of times. All this involves is using your hands to give the dough a quick and easy gentle book fold, while it’s still in the bowl. Do this at the ½ hour and 1 hour mark.
Once this time is up, turn the dough out onto a floured board. With your hands, press out the dough into a rectangular shape, then, with a rolling pin, keep the shape but roll out the dough so it becomes about 2 cm high. Let the dough rest for a further 5 minutes or so, as it will shrink a little.
Use a blunt knife to cut the dough in thirds lengthways, then cut each piece into 4 rolls across.
Gently pick up your rolls and place them evenly on a heavy-based baking tray, set aside and allow to proof for another half hour.
Place the tray in a pre-heated oven at 220°C and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, give the tray a turn and bake for a further 5–10 minutes, or until the rolls are a lovely golden brown. Let them cool on a wire rack.
Note
• With all bread making, the more you know, the harder it gets. This is a very simplified version, but it will produce a nice, easy product.
• This is a fairly wet dough, so don’t be scared to be very liberal with the amount of flour you use when you are rolling it out.
•Serve with the following recipes: , , .
Photography by Benito Martin. Styling by Lynsey Fryers. Food preparation by Suresh Watson.
Baking sheet 40 cm x 30 cm from The Chef and the Cook.
For a taste of O Tama Carey’s cooking, visit her at restaurant in Sydney. Like Berta on , and follow the restaurant on and .
Read our with Tama. This recipe is from our online column, . View previous .
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
